A nor’easter packing heavy rain, strong winds and perilous seas is bearing down on the East Coast, where millions of residents are preparing for its arrival over the weekend. Power failures and flight disruptions are possible across the Northeast coast as the storm moves through.
North Carolina’s Outer Banks have already seen waves measuring up to 19 feet. Flood warnings stretch from the Outer Banks to Maine, where some spots are under water up to 3 foot above typical levels.
Waves and Beach Erosion
Massive waves are expected to pound the coast for days, leading to serious beach erosion. From the Outer Banks to the New Jersey shore, swells could reach as high as 12 feet through Saturday, while the New England coast faces a similar threat through Sunday.
Rising waters are a serious worry along the coast, where the approaching storm will drive water onto roads and beaches as it heads northward. In some locations, flood inundation could reach as high as 3 feet above normal levels.
Wind Warnings
Gale-force winds pose a serious hazard as the storm continues its northern path. From Friday evening through Sunday, the Jersey Shore, Rhode Island and Massachusetts coasts sit beneath a high wind warning, where gusts could top 60 mph.
New York City could see wind gusts of 40-to-50 mph Friday night through Sunday.
Rainfall Totals
Saturday morning will bring rain moving through New Jersey and Massachusetts, with the storm hitting its strongest point that day before weakening just a little on Sunday while stalling over New Jersey.
Sunday will see the rain become more scattered, yet much of the day will stay wet from Washington, D.C., to Maine. The nor’easter will weaken on Monday as it slowly moves into New England, before dying out on Tuesday.
Boston, Rhode Island, coastal New Jersey and Long Island, New York, could see 4-to-6 inches of rain from the storm. A widespread 2-to-4 inches of rain is forecast from Delaware to Maine.
Nor’easter Basics
The name nor’easter comes from the direction of the wind: it blows from the northeast over the coast. Such storms can happen all through the year, though they are most common and strongest between September and April.
Gale-force winds, rough seas and coastal flooding accompany nor’easters, which almost always deliver heavy rain or snow.
A schedule helps with getting ready, and Saturday stands as the day when the worst weather arrives, while Sunday follows with a weaker system that still sends rain across a wide stretch of the East Coast.
What to Watch
The forecast offers a clear picture of what each day brings:
| Day | Event | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Friday night-Sunday | High wind warning | Jersey Shore, Rhode Island, Massachusetts coasts |
| Saturday morning | Rain begins | New Jersey to Massachusetts |
| Saturday | Peak strength | Over New Jersey |
| Sunday | Weaker, scattered rain | Washington, D.C., to Maine |
| Monday-Tuesday | Weakens and dies out | Into New England |
The Danger Zones
The highest flood warnings run from the Outer Banks to Maine, where some spots are under water up to 3 foot above typical levels. Gale-force winds cover the Jersey Shore, Rhode Island and Massachusetts coasts from Friday evening through Sunday, with gusts topping 60 mph.
What to Watch This Weekend
The peak wind and wave threat falls on Saturday, when the storm reaches its strongest point over New Jersey. Sunday brings weaker, scattered rain from Washington, D.C., to Maine, followed by a slow weakening on Monday and Tuesday as the system moves into New England.
Preparing for the Weekend
The advice is simple for anyone in the affected areas:
- Stay indoors during the worst wind periods.
- Keep flashlights and chargers handy in case power goes out.
- Avoid driving through flooded roads.
- Check flight status before heading to the airport.
Tuesday will see the storm weaken, yet for residents still without power or facing flooded homes after the weekend, there is little solace.
There is nothing vague about the outlook: it lays out exactly what to anticipate as a powerful nor’easter moves in, and that clarity is the best any forecast can offer before a major storm.
The coming weekend puts coastal communities under pressure to answer the warnings that have been raised. The waves, wind and rain are all on their way, and the wisest course is to make plans for them before they arrive.
Source material: “Tracking the nor'easter: Your forecast for this weekend,” ABC News.
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